Short Summary

THE RHODESIAN PARLIAMENT MET ON THURSDAY AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE, SALISBURY FOR THE LAST TIME IN THE PRESENT SESSION.

Description

THE RHODESIAN PARLIAMENT MET ON THURSDAY AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE, SALISBURY FOR THE LAST TIME IN THE PRESENT SESSION. THIS FINAL SITTING WILL LAST FOR ONLY A FEW WEEKS AND WILL BE LARGELY DEVOTED TO DOMESTIC MATTERS.

ONE OF THE FIRST BILLS BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT WAS THE EXTENSION OF RHODESIA'S THREE YEAR OLD STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS. ASKING FOR THE EXTENSION THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, MR. LARDNER-BURKE SAID THAT INCURSIONS WERE THREATENED BY AFRICAN NATIONALIST GUERRILLA FORCES FROM ACROSS RHODESIA'S NORTHERN BORDERS. HE WARNED THAT THE MENACE OF GUERRILLA ATTACKS WAS SOMETHING RHODESIA WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH, EVEN IF BRITAIN AND RHODESIA DID REACH A SETTLEMENT OF THE INDEPENDENCE DISPUTE.

THIS MAY BE THE LAST TIME THAT GOVERNMENT'S EMERGENCY POWERS WILL BE GIVEN A SHORT-TERM EXTENSION. MR. LARDNER-BURKE ALSO GAVE FORMAL NOTICE OF A BILL TO GIVE THE GOVERNMENT POWER TO EXTEND THE STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR 12 MONTHS AT A TIME. THIS BILL, AN AMENDMENT OF THE 1965 CONSTITUTION, WILL REQUIRE A TWO-THIRDS PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY BEFORE IT CAN BECOME LAW. DURING THE 'FEARLESS' TALKS IN GIBRALTAR THE BRITISH REFUSED TO AGREE TO THE EXTENSION OF THE EMERGENCY PERIOD TO SIX MONTHS.